A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
very little
Basically the movie is about misfortune; bad things randomly happen to good people. But the good people do get certain chances to help out in big ways.
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Positive Role Models
a little
Although there are lots of decent characters -- loving couples, helpful neighbors, hard workers -- who are all generally polite and caring, they don't have many chances to prove themselves, and their goodness doesn't heavily apply to the plot. It's more or less a demonstration of good manners/behavior.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Only a few dead bodies, but lots of blood, including frequent pools and splatters. A pregnant woman and a child are in jeopardy. During a break-in, a pregnant woman is stabbed, and a man fights, bashes, and pummels the intruders against the walls. The cops shoot the intruders. Bloody crime scene photos. A woman cuts her finger on a sewing machine. A kitchen catches on fire. A man is thrown across the pavement by a ghostly force. The movie has an overall sense of terror with some scary, blood-curdling moments, some of which involve a baby.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
none
Characters include a loving married couple who are expecting a baby. Though they're affectionate, they're rarely physical toward each other.
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Products & Purchases
none
A late 1960s "Jiffy Pop" popcorn popper is shown.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Annabelle is a prequel to the horror movie The Conjuring, about a possessed doll. There's lots of bloody horror, splattering blood, and scary images, plus some jump-shock moments, shooting, fighting, and dead bodies. A pregnant woman and, later, a small child are in jeopardy. It's all pretty terrifying. But on the upside, other than the scary/gory stuff, there's not too much other iffy content of note -- no sex, strong language, alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs. Though the central couple is married and affectionate, they're very rarely physical onscreen (not much beyond a hug or a kiss). And since the movie is set in the 1960s, not many brand names are shown. Horror fans will probably want to see this, but it's not likely to be as big as The Conjuring was. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
ANNABELLE's story takes place before the events of The Conjuring, following the titular evil doll. In the late 1960s, young couple Mia (Annabelle Wallis) and John (Ward Horton) are expecting their first baby. As a gift, John gives Mia a creepy doll for her collection. With images of the Manson Family murders showing on the television, two murderous creeps break into Mia and John's home; while John fights them off, Mia is stabbed, and Annabelle is caught in the fray. Soon terrifying things begin to happen. The baby is born, and the couple moves to a new apartment, but the disturbances continue, and the ghosts and spooky disturbances give way to images of a demon. With the help of a bookseller (Alfre Woodard), Mia learns that the doll won't stop until it possesses a human soul.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Annabelle's violence. How did it affect you? How much is shown, and how much is withheld?
Is the movie scary? How does it compare to other horror films you've seen? What makes something scary -- and what's the appeal of scary movies?
If The Conjuring was based on a true story, does Annabelle also feel like a true story? Does it make you believe in ghosts?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 3, 2014
- On DVD or streaming: January 20, 2015
- Cast: Alfre Woodard, Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton
- Director: John R. Leonetti
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: intense sequences of disturbing violence and terror
- Last updated: February 17, 2024
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